The Starbucks store in Newington, Conn., says a total of almost 1,500 customers opted to pay it forward after managers posted a gift card allowing people to pay the bills of those who came after them on Christmas Eve, ABC News reports. And one customer added $100 to the card on Christmas Day.

Store employees said they were stunned by the number of people who decided to contribute. By Thursday, 783 people had contributed to the gift card at the Starbucks, paying it forward for other customers. By Friday, the number of consecutive customers paying it forward had topped 1,000.

The chain of customers who gave to others at the Starbucks was finally broken on Saturday when one customer decided not to pay extra. By then, 1,468 customers had paid it forward.

Employees at the store expressed hope that the surge of Starbucks customers paying it forward would convince others to involve themselves in charitable works. The store says it hopes the tradition will live on next Christmas.